The Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump

What is the Haakaa?

The Haakaa is a popular, 100% food grade silicone hand pump that can be used to express milk. Haakaausa.com advertises the pump as 100% eco-friendly for mom and baby, and the environment. The Haakaa has a simple multistep process for application and expression, which I will get into below. It is designed to use suction to draw out breastmilk while worn on your breast. A few other silicone breast pumps on the market include the Lansinoh Silicone Manual Breast Pump and the Motif Medical Manual Silicone Breast Pump. I personally have not tried either of these alternative pumps, so I cannot vouch for any of them being just as, more or less effective than the Haakaa.

How To Use The Haakaa

There are a few different ways people will apply the Haakaa. From experience and watching how lactation consultants recommend applying the pump, here are the steps to putting on your Haakaa Silicone breast pump:

1. Fold back the lip of the pump as far as you can, and hold in place.
2. place the pump hole over your nipple.
3. squeeze the base of the pump and fold the lip of the pump over your breast.
4. release the base so suction is applied and the pump is held in place.
5. squeeze the base again gently as needed for better suction.

For more details and clarification on how to apply the Haakaa, you can watch the below video!

It is as simple as that to apply the Haakaa pump. When let down occurs, the pump catches the initial flow of milk that is released. Over time this can build up a stored supply of milk. For some women, using the Haakaa in one sitting can collect several ounces of milk. For others it can take a few uses to collect an ounce. If this is you, do not fret, because just like with normal electrical pumps, every body and boob is different and will produce differently.

Why I Like The Haakaa

I found the Haakaa silicone pump very useful in the early days of breastfeeding my second child. Many women (myself included) will use the pump on one breast while baby is feeding on the other side. This may be the coolest functionality of the pump. The ability to pump while feeding your baby at the same time can be super helpful when you are short on time. The fact that it makes no noise is helpful because it will not distract baby from feeding on the other side.

I also enjoy the Haakaa because is it is comfortable to wear and easy to apply. Clean up is incredibly simple as well, and it can even go in the dishwasher. There are no small parts to deal with, and you can store it in the fridge with pumped milk if you purchase the silicone cap.

If you are looking for a new way to pump, or your current method is just not working for you, give a silicone pump a try. I recommend the Haakaa because it is the one and only brand I have tried. I would love to hear about your experience with the Haakaa brand or any others you have tried!